Autoimmune Diseases: List, Types, Causes, and Facts

Author: Disabled World (DW)
Updated/Revised Date: 3 Aug 2026

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - About This Section - FAQs - Publications - Subtopics

Synopsis

A factual overview of autoimmune diseases explaining how the immune system attacks the body, with a list of types, common symptoms, causes, and treatments.

At a Glance

• 1 - There are more than 80 known illnesses caused by autoimmunity.
• 2 - Nearly 79 percent of autoimmune disease patients in the United States are women.
• 3 - Autoimmune diseases rank among the top ten leading causes of death in women up to age 65.
• 4 - These conditions are grouped as organ-specific, targeting one organ, or non-organ-specific, spread more widely through the body.

Topic Definition

Autoimmune Disease

An autoimmune disease is a condition in which the body's immune system, which normally defends against harmful invaders such as bacteria, viruses, and toxins, mistakenly turns against the body's own healthy cells and tissues. Rather than protecting the person, the immune system produces antibodies that attack normal structures, which can change how an organ works, cause abnormal growth, or destroy tissue. Some of these diseases target a single organ, as thyroiditis affects the thyroid, while others act more broadly throughout the body, and together they include over 80 recognized illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and type 1 diabetes. Because the exact cause remains unknown and symptoms often come in flare-ups and remissions, treatment usually focuses on calming the overactive immune response and reducing inflammation, most often with immunosuppressive medication.

Overview

Our bodies have an immune system that protects us from disease and infection. But if you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks itself mistakenly. Normally, the immune system's army of white blood cells helps protect the body from harmful substances, called antigens. Examples of antigens include bacteria, viruses, toxins, cancer cells, and foreign blood or tissues from another person or species. The immune system produces antibodies that destroy these harmful substances.

• There are more than 80 illnesses caused by autoimmunity.
• A substantial minority of the population suffers from these diseases, which are often chronic, debilitating, and life-threatening.
• It has been estimated that autoimmune diseases are among the top ten leading causes of death among women in all age groups up to 65 years.

Autoimmune diseases arise from an over-active immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In other words, the body attacks its cells. This may be restricted to certain organs (e.g., in thyroiditis) or involve a particular tissue in different places (e.g., Goodpasture's disease, which may affect the basement membrane in both the lung and the kidney).

Autoimmune disorders are classified into two types, organ-specific (directed mainly at one organ) and non-organ-specific (widely spread throughout the body). An autoimmune disorder may result in:

• Changes in organ function
• Abnormal growth of an organ
• The destruction of body tissue

An autoimmune disorder may impact one or more organ or tissue types. Areas often impacted by autoimmune disorders include:

• Skin
• Joints
• Muscles
• Blood vessels
• Red blood cells
• Connective tissues
• Endocrine glands such as the thyroid or pancreas

Nearly 79% of autoimmune disease patients in the USA are women. Furthermore, they tend to appear during or shortly after puberty. It is not known why this is the case, although hormone levels have been shown to affect the severity of some autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.

The treatment of autoimmune diseases is typically with immunosuppression - medication which decreases the immune response.

Autoimmune disorders can also have flare-ups, when they get worse, and remissions, when symptoms get better or disappear. Treatment depends on the disease, but in most cases one important goal is to reduce inflammation. Sometimes doctors prescribe corticosteroids or other drugs that reduce your immune response.

Treatments your doctor suggests will depend on your disease and symptoms. Types of treatments include:

• Blood transfusions if blood is impacted
• Physical therapy to help with movement if the bones, joints, or muscles are impacted
• Supplements to replace a substance that the body lacks, such as thyroid hormone, vitamin B12, or insulin, due to the autoimmune disease

Many people take medicines to reduce the immune system's abnormal response. These are often called immunosuppressive medicines. Examples include corticosteroids (such as prednisone) and non-steroid drugs such as azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate, sirolimus, or tacrolimus.

List of Autoimmune Diseases

There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases, including:

Summary Points

• Autoimmune diseases arise from an abnormal immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body (autoimmunity).
• Your body's immune system protects you from disease and infection. But if you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body mistakenly. Autoimmune diseases can affect many parts of the body.
• The exact cause of autoimmune disorders is unknown. One theory is that some microorganisms (such as bacteria or viruses) or drugs may trigger changes that confuse the immune system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can autoimmune diseases be cured

Most autoimmune diseases cannot be cured, but many can be well managed with medication and lifestyle measures that control symptoms and reduce flare-ups.

How are autoimmune diseases diagnosed

Diagnosis usually combines a review of symptoms and medical history with blood tests for specific antibodies, along with imaging or biopsies when needed.

Are autoimmune diseases hereditary

Genetics can raise the risk, and these conditions often run in families, but inheriting a tendency does not guarantee a person will develop the disease.

Can you have more than one autoimmune disease at once

Yes, it is common for a person to develop more than one autoimmune condition, a pattern sometimes called polyautoimmunity.

Does diet affect autoimmune diseases

Diet does not cause these diseases, but balanced nutrition and, for conditions like celiac disease, avoiding specific triggers can help manage symptoms.

Why do autoimmune diseases affect more women than men

The reasons are not fully understood, though hormones and genetic factors are believed to play a role in the higher rates seen among women.

Can stress trigger an autoimmune flare-up

Many people find that physical or emotional stress can worsen symptoms or set off a flare, so stress management is often part of ongoing care.

Curated and edited by Ian C. Langtree, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Disabled World. This section is maintained by the Disabled World editorial team.

Last updated: 3 Aug 2026